About The Pier

Bournemouth Pier first consisted of a short wooden jetty that was completed in 1856. This was replaced by a much longer wooden pier, designed by George Rennie, which opened on 17th September 1861 amid much pomp and ceremony, including a 21 gun salute. Costing the Bournemouth Board of Commissioners some £3,418 to construct.

The Rennie pier was subsequently demolished, and replaced in 1877 by a temporary structure. During the next three years a new pier, designed by Eugenius Birch, was completed. At a cost of £21,600 the new Bournemouth Pier was opened by the Lord Mayor of London on 11th August 1880. With the addition of a bandstand in 1885, military band concerts took place three times a day in summer and twice daily throughout the winter. Covered shelters were also provided at this time. Two extensions, in 1894 and 1909 respectively, took the pier's overall length to more than 1000ft (304.8m).

In common with virtually all other piers in the south and east of the country, Bournemouth Pier was sectioned by an army demolition team in the spring of 1940 as a precaution against German invasion during the Second World War. The pier was repaired and re-opened in August 1946.

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